New Course Scheduling Matrix and Final Exam Schedule

Course scheduling to roll out in March 2016New Matrix to begin Winter 2017

Joe RankinAssociate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs

Course Scheduling Matrix Committee Members

• Joe Rankin, Chair, Associate Provost and AVP for Undergraduate Affairs • Linda Falkiewicz, Registrar• Gabriel Sauvie, Course Scheduling Manager, Registrar’s Office• Chris Wolfs, Registrar’s Office • Erin Bachert, ASO, Department of Chemistry• Boris Baltes, Chair, Department of Psychology • Michele Grimm, formerly the Interim Director, Transfer Student Success

Center and Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering• Robert Aguirre, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences• Tarek Bazzi, Student • Joseph Bradfield (ex officio)

Committee’s Charge from the Provost

To recommend ways to simplify and clarify Wayne State’s course scheduling matrix by minimizing the number of overlapping course schedules and using insightful scheduling to help reduce time to degree.

Entrepreneurship

Problems with the Current Scheduling Matrix• Irregular class start times confusing to both students

and instructors

• Current matrix is built around a one-hour M-W-F schedule, yet 1.5 and 3 hour time blocks are the most prevalent time blocks requestedo Results in inefficient classroom utilization; many courses are

taught “out of matrix,” with over-lapping time blocks

o Makes it difficult for departments and students to plan course scheduling

o Complicates the scheduling of final exams

o Increases the probability of students not making it to their next class on time

Problems with Current Scheduling Matrix – Cont.

• Late afternoon and evening schedules vary greatly across campus, making it difficult for students to schedule more than one class

• The 13 week combined spring/summer term is out of compliance with WSU’s credit hour policyo 1 credit = about 750 minutes of instructional time per

termo Must increase weekly class time for the combined

spring/summer term to make instructional time comparable to 14 week terms (plus finals week)

Benefits of the new Course Scheduling Matrix

• Reduced time to degree• Increased 4 and 6 year graduation rates• Plans of work that are realistic, achievable, and

easier to follow• Course scheduling improvements• A better final exam week schedule • Students can make it to their next class on time

The New Course Scheduling Matrix• Courses are “nested” whenever possible • Increases consistency in scheduling while allowing more

instructional day/time options o Class times will begin on the hour and half houro Classes will run for 50 instructional minutes per hour, not 55

Parallels the other MI public universities Is in compliance with our new credit hour policy

• Greater consistency in scheduling allows for improvements in the final exam scheduleo An additional final exam period was added to each day of finalso Only “common” finals are now held on Friday

The New Course Scheduling Matrix – Cont.

• Morning classes will begin at 8:30 a.m. o There may be a need for exceptions

Any exceptions must end class instruction by 8:20 a.m. Exception for 4-credit courses meeting 1 day/week in the

combined Spr/Sum term; these classes begin at 8:00 a.m.

• Evening classes will end by 9:20 p.m.• Options for 1.5 hour and 2.0 hour class times on M-W

and T-R schedules have been dramatically increased• Late afternoon and evening class start times are

regularized, allowing some students to take more than one evening course

The New Course Scheduling Matrix – cont.

• Greater scheduling consistency and more day/time options = no out-of-matrix course scheduling should be necessary

• The 13 week combined spring/summer term is retainedo Allows a longer break for faculty research and travel

before the beginning of the Fall termo Students need the extra break before Fall classeso The class schedule for this combined Spr/Sum term

“nests” substantially (but not completely) with the schedules for the Spring and Summer terms

Exemptions for the New Course Matrix by:

• Course Schedule Type• College/School and Program• Course Delivery Mode

Exemptions: Course Schedule Types

Course schedule types that need NOT follow the new matrix (but should start on the hour or half hour and end at least 10 minutes before the hour or half hour):• Laboratory (LAB)• Lab portion of Lecture/Lab (LL)• Clinical (CLN)• Individual (IND)• Internship (INT)• Fine Arts Studio (FAS)• Performing Arts Studio (PAS)• Other (OTH)

Course Schedule Types – Cont.

Course schedule types that will follow the new matrix:

• Lecture (LCT)• Lecture portion of Lecture/Lab (LL)• Discussion (DSC)• Combined Lecture/Discussion (LD)• Seminar (SEM)• Honors (HON)

Exemptions: Colleges and Programs• Law School• College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences• MD Program in the School of Medicine• MBA Program in the School of Business

Administration

All other Schools/Colleges, programs, and Educational Outreach will follow the new matrix beginning Winter 2017 term

Implementation• Four departments have pre-tested the new matrix

o Accounting (undergraduate courses) o CMLLC (Spanish and German)o Biomedical Engineeringo Chemistry

• Obtained feedback from deans, departments, chairs, faculty, faculty committees, and Student Senate

• More insightful scheduling using this new matrix is needed within and across departments

Exceptions to the Matrix can create scheduling difficulties for

students

Implementation – cont.Special part-of-term courses

• Such courses should be eliminated whenever possible• Implications for the Offices of the Registrar and also

Financial Aid (audits) • Do these courses comply with our credit hour policy?• These classes impact drop/add dates, tuition

cancellation dates, and other dates found in the Academic Calendar

Implementation – cont.Special part-of-term courses

• Winter 2015 termo 33 special part-of-term set-upso 359 sections used part of terms (5.8% of total

sections)

• Fall 2014 termo 35 special part-of-term set upso 376 sections used part-of-terms (5.5% of total

sections)

WISE: Wayne Internet Scheduling System

• Must use WISE for Course Scheduling in the new matrix

• WISE training is scheduled twice monthly • Move schools/colleges programs using Banner

to enter course schedule into WISEo Medical Schoolo FPCAo Nursing

The New Course Scheduling Matrix

Offers a unique opportunity to rebuild your course schedule from scratch

Matrix Schedules

Final Exam Time

Final Exam Date WINTER 2017

Wednesday,April 26

Thursday,April 27

Friday,April 28

Saturday,April 29

Monday,May 1

Tuesday,May 2

8:00-10:00 a.m. Classes that start Monday at 8:30 a.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Common Finals: MAT 0900, 0993, 1050

All Saturday classes will hold their final exams during regular meeting period.

Classes that start Monday at 9:30 or 10 a.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 9:30 or 10 a.m.

10:15-12:15 p.m. Classes that start Monday at 10:30 a.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Common Finals: MAT 1800, 2010

Classes that start Monday at 11:30 a.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.

12:30-2:30 p.m.Classes that start Monday at 12:30 or 1:00 p.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 12:30 or 1:00 p.m.

Common Finals:SPA 1010, 1020, 1060, 2010, GER 1010, 1020, 2010 FRE 1010, 1020, 1060, 2010, ITA 1010

Classes that start Monday at 1:30 p.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

2:45-4:45 p.m. Classes that start Monday at 2:30 p.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

Common Finals: PHY 2130, 2140

Classes that start Monday at 3:30 p.m., 4 or 4:30 p.m.

Classes that start Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., 4 or 4:30 p.m.

General Course Scheduling Guidelines• All courses should be taught in discreet matrix time slots• Classes that follow the new matrix have priority on the

assignment of general purpose classrooms • Classes taught out of matrix are scheduled in general

purpose classrooms after in-matrix classes are accommodated

• Courses should be scheduled throughout the dayo Up to half during “prime time” hours (9:30 am – 2:00 pm)o At least half during non-prime hourso Courses to be scheduled equally across days of the weeko Courses that meet twice weekly use both Mon/Wed and Tue/Thu

pair combinations

Q and ACourse scheduling to roll out in March 2016

New Matrix to begin Winter 2017

http://provost.wayne.edu/undergrad/